Their Future
by Vana E
Summary: Rated for darker themes later down the track. AU. Three hobbits and an elf are placed in a threatening situation...namely our world. Only slight mentions of canon romance, no Legomance, no MS, no slash and definately no tragic heroine. WIP
1. The Lake

_Their Future_ Author's Note: Oh dear…I did it again. I have written yet another story with my others not completed…though they are all giving me quite the headache. Anyway…I wish to assure you all that there is no romance in here apart from canon romance, and a very concerned bunch of hobbits and dwarf. I had to use Grey Company elvish as I am far too rusty on true Sindarin and I do not wish to unconsciously massacre the fragile tongue in front of my fellow Tolkien purists…this will continue to be in use until I can find a beterer who is willing to find the correct translations and help me a little. I always wondered about little Elanor…she is barely ever mentioned in so many stories that have adventure and never in one that contains an elf, so I let my curiosity roam amongst my muses four until this little thing came out. Yes, there will be a girl in here…but being only in her teens it would be completely unethical to place her into a romantic situation apart from that with her boyfriend or such. She will not come into play until the next chapter anyway and there is no fear of Mary Sues…I would rather suffer terribly in the eternal darkness of Morgoth's realm than write one. Yuck…never mind completely a waste of time. 

**Summery:** Completely AU. Mostly from Elanor's pov. An elf and three hobbits come to this world, one hobbit is merely a child and she sees this strange place through eyes naïve of borders beyond her own little corner of the Shire. The two older ones, though, have an insatiable curiosity that just cannot be quenched and it leads to catastrophe for the elf, as well as the fact that people are beginning to suspect…surely no child has feet like that, and those ears? No normal man has ears such as that, nor do they threaten with a bow and arrow, nor do they left no footprints, nor do they live forever. A small accident leads for their lives to be horribly twisted round, and these four misfits from Middle Earth are in a type of trouble they do not know if they can ever escape from.

**Warnings:** Though this chapter and a few after seem quite innocent and short…they are meant to portray the loss of such a thing later on. Warnings consist of mental anguish, major R rating for later chapters and the fact I am going to leave you to stew…warnings, if needed, will come at the beginning of each chapter and will give you reason whether to continue reading or not. Enjoy…innocent at first as I said, but goes onto darker themes later on.

The Lake 

Legolas was having the time of his life. The short lived visits he now made to the Shire were paying off as being very rewarding in relaxation and childish fun, unknown to him for many years.

The water splayed in the air as Merry shoved a small wave at the elf and Legolas simply grinned. His own hand wave engulfing the hobbit completely until he came spluttering up for air.

"Hey, no fair!" he gave one last splash at the elf before giving up and scrambling onto the bank of the lake.

"Nandor!" Legolas called out, floating easily on his back and grinning up at the hobbit.

"What did you call me!?" Merry spun around and glared at him, his fists clenching in anger and the fire building in his eyes.

Legolas paddled his feet a bit, quirking a smile.

"I called you coward, chicken, yellow…need I go on?"

Merry let out a yell and made a running jump into the water, neatly grabbing the elf by the waist and dragging him under.

Pippin stood on the high rock and whooped in laughter, he had not yet entered the lake and wanted to make a fine entrance.

"Hie Rose! Get Sam will you. He'll not want to miss this!" He motioned down at the struggling pair, the elf obviously losing to the quickness of the smaller body darting around him, pushing him under when least expected. It was quite an amusing sight.

Rose smiled and left her comfortable position under the widespread tree to go call her husband. A rosy-faced 7-year-old Elanor glanced up in surprise.

"Mother! I cannot look after them again!" She whined, motioning to her three younger siblings, two of which were still babes rolling around on the grass.

Rose turned around, her hands on her hips and she gave her daughter a firm look.

"Oh yes you can, I'm not going to leave them alone just so they can get drownded. You keep an eye on them alright? Fine!"

She smiled and turned to start walking up the path to the small pavilion that had been set up for their picnic on the edge of Bywater Pool. Sam was busy writing something, of what? Nobody knew. He seemed oblivious to the fun and games being held below as Rose sidled up to him and placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

"You want to see this."

"Hmm?" He looked up, smiling as he closed his folder and placed it on the ground next to him.

"What is it honey?" He took her hand and she pulled him up, groaning slightly at his weight on her arm.

"The elf is being made a fool of, it is such a sight to see."

He smiled. "Not as much as a sight as you are." He gave a quick kiss on her cheek and whispered in her ear.

"Vanimle sila telraa." He smiled as she giggled.

"Don't give me any of that elvish rot, for all I know you could have just called me a big ugly goblin. Speak normally and I might reply as such."

He laughed and took her hand as they walked down to the lakeshore where the fun had been enhanced by Pippin joining in. Elanor sat grumbling on the dry grass, far from the edge. She was making a daisy chain in her boredom and showed her impatience when she finished and started on another one.

"Help!" Legolas' plea was cut short by another hand pushing him under again. Sam laughed and let go of Rose's hand to walk to the edge.

"I would help you there, Legolas. Unfortunately, I do not think my wife would approve if I tried to jump in with the knowledge I sink like a stone every time."

There was more laughter and then a roar as Legolas found a grip on the lake bottom with his feet, and pushed the two hobbits off his back, letting them fly through the air and land with a great splash in the deeper part of the water.

He then shook his head, letting the droplets fly from his long wheat coloured hair and land on the dry hobbits on the shore. Elanor squealed and she found herself being sprayed mercilessly, as the elf walked out and stood next to Sam.

"There, there sir. I would save you if you did 'sink like a stone', is that what you said?"

Sam grinned.

"Of course, that is unless Merry and Pip do not get to you first."

He pointed out to the middle of the lake and laughed again as the hobbits swam swiftly until they were standing next to him as well.

They glared half-heartedly at the elf before going and drying themselves off, grumbling about the inconsiderate nature of all elves.

Legolas smiled and lay himself out on the grass, letting the sun dry him as it wished. His leggings had changed colour with the water, from the dark lavender they once were, to an even darker shade of the night sky. Elanor could not resist reaching out and touching a lock of his now rapidly drying hair; to her it felt like silk.

Legolas turned his head and she quickly returned to her third daisy chain.

"What are you doing there Lokteai?" He reached over and she shyly placed a chain in his hand.

The elf still awed her, even after so many years of regular visits; she still blushed at his pet name for her. 'Little Blossom'.

He inspected it for a moment before drawing it over his head.

"May I keep this one? It is very pretty, like you."

She blushed again as she nodded and he smiled, laying back once more and studying the late afternoon sky, his bare chest rising ever slightly with his breath.

"We should get going, it will be dark before we reach The Hill."

Sam called out, his voice raising the relaxing hobbits and elf from their daydreams. They swiftly gathered their things together, the elf hitching his weapons onto his back after pulling his tunic on, careful not to disturb the flowers that hung around his neck.

Elanor grimaced. He always carried his bow, arrows and knives about. He never seemed to feel totally secure without them and only Merry, Pippin and her father knew why.

They started to walk away when a realization came to her.

"Uncle Pip, did you bring back my sword?"

"No Ela, I'm sorry, we'll get it tomorrow. It's too late now." He called back to her, hoisting little Frodo who sat on his hip. Rose had taken little Rose and Merry and had one curled up in each arm, both asleep.

She grumbled, Pippin had taken her little wooden sword up to the ledge so he could show off his fighting techniques to everybody. He must of left it there. She brightened up and turned, running quickly back to the shore and past it to the small hill in which the ledge jutted from.

* * * *

They came to the where the small pavilion had stood and found that Sam was already tying the short poles together, the canvas lay neatly folded a short way away.

"Ah, Merry and Legolas. Could you help me carry these to the cart?" He straightened up and pointed towards cart, hitched to it was a bright young pony, Billy, offspring of the long retired Bill the pony who dwelt with honour at the stables of Brandy Hall.

Legolas bent down to lift some of the poles on his shoulder when an ear-piercing scream cut through the air. Rose turned, horrified.

"Where's Elanor!?" She cried, nearly dropping her children when another scream came, this one cut short as a loud splash was heard from the lake.

Legolas dropped the bundle of poles and ran swiftly back to the lake, Merry and Pippin running hard behind him as fast as their legs could take them, and Sam huffing and puffing further back.

Legolas halted at the shore and looked around, squinting at the low sun.

"There!" Pippin pointed in the direction of a splash as Elanor's head broke the surface for a moment before disappearing again. 

The elf dived in without hesitation and proceeded to swim as fast as he could, Merry jumped in after him but Pippin ran around the edge towards the ledge which was closer to her position. He clambered up the slippery rocks and made it to the protrusion, seeking with his eyes for a sign of the little hobbit, but the water was glassy smooth.

He then proceeded to jump off the ledge to hit the water far below, a few moments later Legolas and Merry joined him and the older hobbit dived below the surface. He came up spluttering a short time later.

"I can't find her!" he cried. Their hearts leapt into all their throats and they dived together into the murky depths. Leaving Sam to wring his hands on the shore.

Legolas grabbed hold of Merry's hand, Merry held on to Pippin and they pushed through the dark water, trying to find a sign of Elanor. The elf was frightened beyond anything he had felt before, even when fighting for his life against hoards of Orcs and evil. This was far worse…the fear of losing an innocent overrode everything else.

Suddenly a glimmer was seen and he squeezed Merry's hand. The hobbit swam up beside him and the elf motioned with his hand at the sight below. Merry spotted it and did the same with Pippin as Legolas had with him.

They then all kicked furiously, even though the air in their lungs was becoming sparse. They kicked until they reached the glimmer and saw Elanor lying motionless on the lake bottom, her foot tangled in a piece of weed and her golden hair waving limply about her tiny face.

Legolas reached to untangle her when Merry pulled him back, using his eyes to point out the problem. She was lying precariously close to a deep fissure; one wrong move and she could fall out of their reach forever.

Legolas was starting to feel the need to breathe; he could hardly imagine what the other two were feeling, with smaller chests and all. But he reached down and held her firmly while Merry and Pippin untangled her.

Suddenly the ground shifted, sending up a mist of silt, the rocks were moving underneath Elanor and she was slipping into the depths. Legolas grasped for her, wrapping his arm around her tiny body before kicking at the ground, pushing himself up towards the surface.

He knew Merry still held onto his hand, but he could feel the grip weakening. His own head felt light and for a moment, everything was turned upside down, he felt like he was being pulled back into the dark water and his lungs screamed for air as everything went black.

Tbc…

AN: I would appreciate reviews for this chapter…the more I get, the faster I update. It probably would not hurt to have a little peek at my other fanfics…I need a self-esteem boost and reviews (I have found) give this boost quite readily. Flames will be taken care of by my Mini-Balrog 'Bible'…Camilla Sandman was so kind to let me adopt him and he is quite reverent when it comes to flames…well, he is at least dedicated to the destruction and complete dismissal of them. Seeing as I have read Camilla's story OFUM and have taken it to heart…it would probably go to say that it scared me of MS's so much that I have become paranoid. I am always nervous that people would assume I wrote one merely because I have OCs in it…the point here is, I have the ability to write my own characters, I never self-insert unless it be my emotional state coming forth in my writing, and I do not think one of my Original Characters are the same to each other…point made. Please press the little pale violet button and leave a nice little response. Actually the longer the better but I am looking more for a bit of feedback as to whether you liked this or not. Thankyou and live life, be well…and do not crash. Ta ta.


	2. Grief

Their Future 

**Authors Note:** Nnnggg…just don't ask ok…the next time I write a story and say I will finish it within the week someone should knock me over the head and hopefully make the injury permanent. I got work you see, and not a cushy job either…I work in a packing factory and am almost always bushed by the time I get home. And this is only because I still can't grasp the Dutch language, otherwise I'd be a freelance journalist already like I wanted to be from the start. *grimaces and shudders* 7 going on 8 months working there…I'm really feeling…egh.

**Review Responses:** And the most recent ones sound either disappointed…or very very threatening.

Chanra: First…your friend is an Ent? Hmm…maybe she could relate to a fellow worker who reminds me of Saruman…and no, I am being dead serious, if he just had more confidence and was more menacing, he would BE Saruman. And yes…that particular scene I had a bit of fun with…I am glad I am continuing and am very happy you reviewed.

Lady Myself: And I thank you for taking the time to review…thanks.

baru-chan: Updated…er…later than soon as you can see. Call it a misguided sense of time, bit like Bertha Jorkins in Harry Potter…except worse. And thank you for that originality note…I still think it's valid even after all this time. Funny that *nervous laugh*

Natta: First thankyou for reviewing…and that was Merry, Pippin and Legolas who tried to rescue Elanor who fell off the cliff into the water. Let me note this…you have seen the types of clothes hobbit wear yes? Have you ever tried swimming in a dress like that at the midget age of seven? I barely knew how to dogpaddle at that age in a swimsuit…poor lass.

EnglishMystic: As you can see, I have finally continued and I thank you for your review.

Jenn: Just a few words…it has continued. *smiles* Now…if I could only get my review sensor to find your email to tell you this…darn. Stupid ff.net. Thanks for reviewing anyway if you see this.

Cora: Thanks for the enthusiastic review indeed and…you're not dead are you??

Daylight: Thanks for reviewing…and yes…I have gone by your wishes. Heh

Muse High Council: Oh man…you do sound high brow. I will inform you post-haste of this update…if and when my restrictions lift as I have JUST found out as I wrote this that ff.net has put a temporary ban on my updating…oh for crying out…*mutters*

you will never know: I have continued…and I won't know? Aww. Thanks for the review…even if it was more of a poke prod prompt to get myself a move on. 

Grief

Sam was anxious. The feeling of his stomach twisting itself into knots was disturbingly familiar and it was steadily becoming more so, along with a cold block of ice accompanying it. His little girl was beneath the water and her rescuers had not returned.

"Where are you?" He whispered as he paced the shoreline. He had no idea how much time had past nor did he even want to think about it. All Sam wanted was for three hobbits and an elf to break the surface and swim back onto nice dry land, perfectly safe and happy. But time was dragging and the water remained smooth, he was suddenly struck with reality…they were not coming back.

"No!" The hobbit's wail of anguish reached the ears of his wife as she finally crested the hill with the pony and cart. She had placed her younger children in swaths of cloth in the back except Frodo, who was silently seated next to her. "No no no!" Sam finally fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands. He felt his heart tear apart as he realised that he would never see Elanor smile again, never hear her darling little laugh, never watch her as she acted just like his beloved Rosie when in a temper. Never again.

Then a new pain came as the faces of Merry, Pippin and Legolas came up. How could he tell their families, how could he even think about what their grief would be when it was he and his family they were visiting? Paladin would probably never forgive him, for Pippin was his heir, the next Thain of the Shire. A would Saradoc for Merry was his own heir as Master of Buckland…then there were Diamond and Estella, their betrothed and sweethearts of the hobbits. They would all be devastated.

And Legolas, this would possibly be the worst. As the son of a high Elven King, he held more stature and importance than any of them and there was no doubt they would have to answer to his father. No immortal should ever die, Sam had seen too much death in his life and this was simply topping it all.

"Sam? Sam where is Elanor…Sam?"

Rosie ran up behind and dropped onto her knees next to him. He dimly recognised her panicked grip on his arm as she tried to read his face as to where the others were. He choked on a sob.

"They…they…" Sam pointed shakily to the water and broke down once more while Rosie simply became rigid in shock.

"No…" she choked and the tears slid silently down her face, leaving trails of silver in their wake. When a small hand came up and started wiping at them she looked down to see the confused face of little Frodo. The hobbit toddler seemed to be torn between staring at his parents in confusion or looking around the lake for the three that ran off earlier in answer to his sister's screams…and looking for his sister in person.

"Elly?" He peeped, his voice a mere squeak as he tried to make sense of the situation. His little face registered shock as his father pounded the ground in grief and anger.

"She's _not_ dead! She's not!! My little girl's coming back…I promise that!! I promised…oh Mister Frodo I promised…and she's…she's…" His hands clung limply to the grass as Rosie enveloped him in a bone crushing embrace, sobbing hard against his shoulder while the other tried desperately hard to maintain control once more.

Frodo was distraught, his young mind couldn't grasp the reason why his momma and daddy were crying so hard. And where was Elly and Uncle Pip and Merry…and Laga? The elf had scared him at first when he first met the giant with bright gold hair, but after he had given the little hobbit a piggyback ride around the living room of their home and shared some sweets that he had said came all the way from a place called Gondor, he was the little one's best friend. Much better than that other grumpy hairy one still back in the Hole sniffling over yukky medicine tea his momma had made him.

Laga had said he had a bad tummy cold, Gim simply told him it was something he ate that also came out his nose. Frodo had told them both it was the tea trying to get back out again because he wasn't sneezing that bad before he drank it…he had been confused when they all laughed and said 'Just like the first Frodo, to the point no matter what'. First Frodo? He never had understood that and Daddy never told him. And even now…it was Mister Frodo…and he most certainly was not a 'Mister'. He was only five…a big five, but not 'Mister'.

"Daddy…Daddy I will go get help. Momma? Can you come with me? I don't know the way." He was starting to really panic when his parent's wouldn't answer and he started crying and tugging at their arms. "Momma! Daddy! Please! We need to find Elly! Where's Elly? Where's Laga and Uncle Pip and Uncle Merry…where did they go? Why are you crying? Momma? Momma please??" He nearly screeched when his mother suddenly pulled him into her arms and she sobbed quietly into his hair, whispering a quiet and shaky lullaby while his father still lay in the dirt like a baby.

His brother and sister back in the cart were starting to cry now, but not for the same reasons. They were hungry, cold and wanting Momma…but Frodo knew better. Somehow he knew, as he lay curled in his mother's arms and tried not to cry too hard, that he would never see his big sister ever again…and there would be no more swordfights or piggybacks, or stories about big monsters from far far away around the fire at night.

They were all simply gone, and they were never coming back.

Tbc…

An: Lets see if I get reviews huh…lets just see. Despicably short chapter…simply dreadful…egh.


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